Thanks for taking the time out to look at my portfolio and the many comments too. I will set aside some time and have a look through your work soon. This shot here was simple enough once you get used to it. I recently bought this lens http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?navigator=5. This was a means of getting back into macro/studio photography and I have to say its a cracking lens, really sharp and clear and it seconds as a good portrait lens too. Even though it is 50mm in focal lenght, with the D100it actually is 75mm because of the size of the image sensor. This obviously makes the shot tighter. It has 1:1 ratio which means it will get really close to any subject, that should answer one of your questions.
The shot itself was set up on a dining room table, with a shoe box cut out at the end I taped on some grease proof paper - and put a desk top lamp behind it. This is a make-shift soft box. I exposed for the soft box which plus 2 stops to give it a bleached out look. The shutter was kept wide open.
Shane, It's been a journey looking through your portfolio... and an enjoyable, if not colourful one at that. Your work has a cohesion that with time I'm sure i'll begin to pick out as yours at a glance. So, I have a question on this shot. I too went digital and hoped to get in real close like this but still don't fully understand the logistics. Forgive me if it's a dumb question but you've used a 50mm lens yet teh result is much more suited to a macro. Have you therefore, shot wide & cropped tight in PS (or whatever) or is there something I'm missing in this big wide world of digital capture? The shallow DOF implies it is macro - please help, so confused.
PS - I'm off to drive my car round town now with a camera gaffa tapped to the bonnet - just love that work. Inspirational.
Ohh yeah - re your Bio... I too went on some photography course and it sucked. UF is a great place to learn, as is the net as a whole. Glad to see you shared your wisdom.